National Republican., 1887-10-14
GEN. WILLIAM MALONE.
How He Appears to an Ootogenarisu
Democrat.

How He Appears to an ootoEenarisn
Democrat.
The following letter from an octogenarian
Dem ocrat on Gen. Malone as public man
best explains itself:
HALIFAX COUNTY, VA.-EDIToR FREDER-
IcKsBURa FREE LANCE: 1 am aw are you have
no love for Gen. Malone, and know the
cause, and am free to say think you have
good cause. His treatment to you is one
of those errors men sometimes commit and
am greatly pleased on your account, as
well as on account Of your paper, for fair
ness, Justice, and real Independence, that
you have lately indicated purpose to do
justice to him as public man, regardless
Of private feelings. Like yourself, / am no
partisan Of Gen. Malone, nor Of any man
or any party. love Justice for It's sake,
/ never have, and / hope never shall
knowingly, do any man any injustice. In
my very many political controversies 1t has
fallen to my lot to be engaged with many
Of the most distinguished men In and out
of Virginia, am not aware that single
sting has been left. have conceded to
Others all ever claimed for mysslf-an
honest purpose.
Perhaps no one person in Virginia has
said and written more against Gen. Ma
hone than your present correspondent. His
"Octogenariann letters (many of them)
originally published In the Charlottesville
JeGersonidn, and extensively republished
In the Virginia papers, show the fact stated.
He then being public man, his public acts
were legitimate subjects for review and
comment, and these were very freely can.
vasscd, but coarse abuse was not in his
case ever resorted to, nor In any other case.
This is repugnant to good policy and good
taste. Nor were his motives attacked; they
can only be known and tried by another
and higher court, court far more wise and
just than that Of "Pilate" and the singh
Cruelty Him % / have nothing to take
back OF what then said. l said then, as
cay now, that Gen. Malone had many ele
ments OF a great leader; but, like other
men, he has made mistakes-mistakes
notably in the selection Of persons for dis.
tinguished places of high trust, who, how
ever, clever have conducted themselves in
Office SO as to make self-respecting Vir-
ginians hang their heads In shame. Gen.
ment OF these persons, no matter, what the
controlling influences at the time OF selec-
tion. The very short comings, however gross
and hurtful, OF these persons are charged to
his account, in the thoughtless rush OF COM
plants against him, and that, too, when his
onw private and public life are in fiat denial
of any possible sympathy with the sins Of
omission and Of commission to which we
refer; when, too, 1t is only recreant officials
whom he is charged with having elevated
to high place that now and Of late assail
his leadership Of the party, to which all
fair.minded men Of both parties must ad-
init he, and he alone, gave shape, solidlty,
and power, and who are now playing the
real Mugyumps for and In the interests of
the modefp Democracy.
Gen. Malone has ignorsd many men Of
character and standing who could have re-
lected credit on any party. Your corre-
spondent can hardly say he has any personal
acquaiu,aince with Gen. Malone. He has
never al any time altogether been one.half
hour IN his presence. lie has not even seen
or spoken to bim but once since March
1851. He is under no obligation of any
kind to him, having received only common
courtesy at his hands. He has thought he
has had good grounds to complain OF him.
Ills correspondence has been principally
OF an official character, and has not asked
at his hands anything he had not right to
ask as senator Of Virginia.
He is a Democrat of the "olden time"
and on principle, and at no time In his life
has ever given any other vote. He has thus
defined his position toward him as pre-.
liminary to the performance Of duty
who has faithfully performed the duties as
signed him. This self-imposed duty Is the
more readily performed because 1t Is rare
we can find an M. @. who takes any interest
n the material interests Of hls constituents
They ride into Congress on the "wave OF
party,r and from the moment they reach
the "promised land" and partske OF the
feast, the carnival, they devote their time
to the best means OF getting reelected. not
caring what happens so 1t don't happen to
the M"
Gen. Malone is now private citizen. |
know not whether he Ia candidate for any
Office or not, and 1t is not necessary for my
present purpose to know what may he Ills
future action. shall deal with the past. !
shall go back to his status Ia 1880. | shall
show from the records and from his letter
OF 18th Of April, 1880 to me IN reply tn
one by me addressed him at the request oi
number Of Democrats Ia Washington to
whom the reply was shown,
In that letter Gen. Malone takes the
ground.
|. That he was not elected to the Senate
by either Of the two parties-Republican
or Democrats land this IL perfectly true)
9 That not being elected by either party,
neither could claim to control his action
politically.
8 That in his official action he should
consult the true interests Of Virginia, and
that he should he found at all times IN the
path that lead to that interest, and | now
say no vote Of his eau be found inconsistent
with his declaration.
or course am not dealing with politics,
which is like the chameleon constantly
changing. / need only point to the
"Lynchburg convention OF 1888 TO sustain
the fact now state. This was one % the
greatest somersaults known IN tine his
tory Of parties In the United States or
In the world The correspondence allude
by any one who wishes TO do so. 1t was
shown to leading Democrats In and out of
Congress, who said sit was all they had any
right to assume or eXpect.n
shall now 90 into details Of Gen Ma.
homes action i'd the forB-ninth Congre;
only, and here lay down the gauntlet ana